Morris Claiborne blows off Wonderlic test; should Cowboys fans worry?

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Louis DeLuca/Staff Photographer

Dallas cornerback Morris Claiborne is pictured in the fourth quarter of the Dallas Cowboys vs. the New York Giants NFL football season opening game at Metlife Stadium in East Rutherford NJ on Wednesday, September 5, 2012. The Cowboys defeated the Giants 24-17.

New Cowboys said: 'I looked at the test and there wasn't no questions [about] football, so I pretty much blew the test off'

IRVING -- The high school coach of Cowboys' first-round draft pick Morris Claiborne -- the top-rated cornerback from LSU -- said Dallas has every reason to celebrate Thursday night.

Lent Bursey, who coached Claiborne all four years at Shreveport (La.) Fair Park High School, said the Cowboys made a wise decision by trading up eight spots to draft Claiborne No. 6 overall on Thursday.

"He's a first-class individual and he has great passion, determination and commitment for the game," said Bursey, who grew up a Cowboys' fan. "He'll get to Dallas and get to work. He's a phenomenal athlete."

One concern about Claiborne was that he reportedly scored a 4 out of 50 on the NFL's Wonderlic test. Bursey said that's nothing to worry about.

"You're not going to find a more intelligent kid out there in the draft," Bursey said. "Some people have deficiencies and his deficiency is test taking and anxiety because he wants to do the very best. That score has no indication of what kind of intelligence this young man has. It was just a score on paper."

Said Claiborne: "I looked at the test and there wasn't no questions [about] football, so I pretty much blew the test off."

The Cowboys downplayed it.

“We talk about the test score, but the way we talk about players is what is their football IQ,” Garrett said. “Mr. Jones talked about instinct.

“He has instinct. He has vision. He has the ability to make plays at his position at an elite level.”

Bursey said that Claiborne was raised by a single mother, Opal, in Shreveport and times weren't always easy.

"Like most of the NFL stories, he came out of some of the dangerous neighborhoods that people don't want to live in," Bursey said. "It was a situation where his mother removed him and her family from that to keep him focused and straight. She didn't let him stray.

"Jerry [Jones] made this huge power move, and I believe it's a blessing for Mo. This will be a great fit for him and the Cowboys."

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